Nicholas Carlevaris-Bianco

Publications

My research focuses on perception for mobile robotics, using tools
from computer vision, machine learning, and statistical signal
processing for map building, navigation and scene understanding. I
am specifically interested in developing algorithms that are robust
to dynamic changes in the environment, with the end goal of helping
to enable long term autonomy.
I was a PhD Candidate in
Electrical Engineering: Systems at the
University of Michigan and a
Graduate Student Research Assistant in the
Perceptual Robotics Laboratory.

Code & Data

Generic Linear Constraint Node Removal

The generic linear constraint (GLC) framework provides a method to remove nodes from SLAM graphs.
This can be used for graph maintenance and to reduce computational complexity during long term
SLAM. GLC produces a new set of factors over the elimination clique given only the existing
factors as input. GLC works in graphs with less-than-full DOF constraints
(e.g., bearing-only, range-only.), and avoids inconsistency found in methods based on measurement
composition.

Past Projects

Next Generation Vehicle

PeRL is working on the "next generation" autonomous vehicle project — a collaboration
with Edwin Olson's April Lab,
Ford Motor Company and State Farm. Within the team, I worked on tools for
building the prior maps and laser-based obstacle detection and tracking.

Long-Term Mapping and Navigation

For my dissertation I worked on algorithms for long-term robotic mapping and navigation in
dynamic environments.

Naval Engineering Education Center (NEEC)

The goal of the NEEC program was to train graduate and
undergraduate engineers for careers in the Navy. I worked with the NEEC students the
first two years of the project. In the first year we built a robotic system on a Segway.
The second year focused on autonomously landing a quadrotor on top of a moving Segway.
This served to simulate landing a helicopter on an aircraft carrier.
For more info check out the PeRL NEEC page.

PeRL's Autonomous Underwater Vehicles

PeRL operates two heavily modified Ocean-Server Iver2
autonomous underwater vehicles. I worked on system development, state estimation and visualization.
For a couple of summers I got to head out with the group for field testing and data collection.